Dexter - Taste the finest 'beef'

Our Bruces Hill Dexter cattle from County Antrim are fed on a natural grass diet, the traditional way, and therefore take longer to mature when compared to the larger framed breeds used in commercial beef production.

  • the natural taste of grass fed beef
  • superb marbling - ensuring beef stays tender during cooking
  • rich in healthy omega 3 un-saturated fats
  • 21 day maturing ensures a deep flavour - whilst marbling provides buttery/nutty flavours
  • convenient joint sizes

Dexters

Dexter cattle are the smallest of the European cattle breeds, being about half the size of a traditional Hereford and about one third the size of a milking cow. They were considered a rare breed of cattle, until recently, but are now considered a recovering breed. Dexter cattle are recognised for producing some of the best tasting, richly flavoured beef available. Originally an Irish hill-cow, the hardy breed is now highly favoured amongst chefs throughout UK and Ireland, including Danny Millar, Rick Stein and Antony Worrel Thompson who with many others prize this flavoursome and succulent meat. It is a top menu item in many of the best UK restaurants and Montgomerys are delighted that this cow has "now returned home" and we can make it available both through special dishes in our restaurant and to our Foodhall customers. Despite their small size, the body is wide and deep with a well-rounded hindquarter, giving excellent cuts of meat. The breed is early maturing giving beef of excellent quality and flavour, with good marbling; Our Dexter steers are reared in County Antrim and finish on grass at 20 -24 months.

Why Dexter Meat?

Dexter beef is of exceptional quality and taste due to the free range rearing and quality of life. Those with discerning tastebuds say that Dexter beef is "sweeter" than other beef and is amongst the best quality beef of any cattle breed. The beef has very good marbling and superb flavour. The Dexters' small size and length of time to mature means they have retained the traditional flavour of beef, making it much sought after in many of the top restaurants.

The Dexters for Montgomerys are reared in the traditional way surviving on rough forage in the Glens of Antrim, reared on grass, making them rich in good Omega-3 fats. These play a vital role in the functioning of every cell and system in our bodies.

Dexter beef is traditional beef, tasting like beef used to. It is fine grained and well marbled The meat, which is hung for a minimum of 14 days, is full of flavour, tender and can be cut and prepared to your liking by our own Foodhall butcher.

The success of the Dexter worldwide over the last 25 years is quite outstanding. The breed's ability to adapt to varying and extreme climatic conditions and to different systems of management is a typical characteristic. The resurgence in their home country over the last 15 years has also been dramatic with many breeders now established both North and South and now supplying the successful export of this exclusive Irish meat to top restaurants in England and Ireland. Through the Bruces Hill Cattle company in Kells, County Antrim, Montgomerys are now part of this success, with meat brought to our customers in Ballymena from the prize winning Ballyhartfield Herd. This herd is now one of the largest herds in these islands, ensuring a supply of this locally reared gourmet meat for Montgomerys. The Ballyhartfield herd summer pasture at the Glenwherry Hill Farm and winter at Kells and Templepatrick.

Since the start of 2011 the Ballyhartfield herd is also the home of Elmwood McKoy the first bull to be recognised from The Dexter Society original population project which is seeking to preserve the lines that can be traced back exclusively to the original animals registered in the Royal Dublin Society herd books. After more than 100 years the original Dexter has "returned home" and Montgomery's Foodhall are proud to be part of this re-establishment of traditional quality food in Ireland.